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The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that Rush Trucking Corporation of Wayne, Mich., a for-hire motor carrier that primarily hauls general freight and auto parts, was fined $150,000 for multiple violations of the federal hours-of-service safety regulations.

The violations were discovered during an investigation conducted by FMCSA's Michigan division office.

During a June 2000 safety compliance review, Rush Trucking was cited for 285 counts of falsifying its records of duty status, including efforts to conceal violations of the 70-hour rule, which limits drivers to 70 hours of work/drive time within 8 consecutive days, and violations of the 10-hour rule, which limits drivers to 10 hours maximum driving followed by 8 consecutive hours of rest. The company reportedly employs (by contract with the motor carrier) approximately 750 drivers and an equal number of trucks.

In a Settlement Agreement between the FMCSA and Rush Trucking, the motor carrier admitted only that it failed to detect the 70-hour rule violations.

Drivers are required to comply with a federal hours-of-service regulation that stipulates they must maintain accurate logs of their driving and on-duty activities. Regulations permit drivers to be behind the wheel for 10 hours and then require rest for 8, and require that drivers not drive after being on duty for more than 70 hours in eight consecutive days.

Additional information about federal motor carrier safety regulations and the FMCSA's efforts to increase national motor carrier safety is on the Internet at www.fmcsa.dot.gov.